Knights ready for semis

Team gets to meet Ripken at a World Series dinner

By PETE IORIZZO Staff writer

Published 12:40 am, Friday, August 19, 2011

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The Clifton Park Knights stand in the security check point line at the Albany International airport on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011 to play in the Cal Ripkin World Series in Aberdeen, MD. (Erin Colligan / Special To The Times Union) less

The Clifton Park Knights stand in the security check point line at the Albany International airport on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011 to play in the Cal Ripkin World Series in Aberdeen, MD. (Erin Colligan / Special To ... more

The Hall of Fame shortstop himself stopped by a dinner Thursday night.

Ripken posed for pictures with the 12-year-old team from Clifton Park and offered some advice, telling the players, "I hope you guys enjoy this and have fun."

That's been easy for the Knights, who now have won three in a row to advance to a semifinal Friday against a team from Oahu, Hawaii, that is 4-0.

Another victory would place the Knights in the domestic final, which is set to be televised Saturday on the MLB Network.

"That would be great for the kids, and it would be great for Clifton Park baseball," Knights manager Tom Huerter said by phone Thursday, a scheduled day off.

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At a glance

CAL RIPKEN WORLD SERIES

FRIDAY

Semifinals

International Championship

Dominican Republic vs. Mexico, noon

Korea vs. Japan, 5 p.m.

U.S. Championship

Maryland at S.E. Lexington, Kentucky, 2:30 p.m.

Clifton Park vs. Oahu, Hawaii, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

Finals

International title game, 11 a.m.

U.S. title game, 2 p.m.

SUNDAY

World championship, 2 p.m.

"I can't tell you how many people have sent texts or emails with congratulations from all different leagues around the area," Huerter added. "They're all cheering for us."

The Knights lost their first game in Aberdeen, Md., but have rallied to win games 10-0, 8-4 and 11-1, the last of which came Wednesday against a team from Waite Park, Minn.

The win allowed the Knights to emerge from pool play in the 16-team tournament. If the Knights advance to the final, they would face a team from Kentucky or Maryland.

"There's a lot of great baseball being played in the Capital Region," Huerter said. "We may not be able to play 10, 11 months out of the year like in other states, but we have some great athletes here."